


The Beauty of Steel

by ara_chan



Category: Eroica Yori Ai o Komete | From Eroica with Love
Genre: Gen, Introspection, Tanks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-12
Updated: 2013-03-12
Packaged: 2017-12-05 02:05:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/717609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ara_chan/pseuds/ara_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short perspective piece of Klaus during his brief time as a lieutenant colonel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beauty of Steel

There was nothing as beautiful as the gleaming luster of well polished steel. Klaus ran the cloth he held in large circular motions over the barrel of his newly issued tank. The others had all gone back for chow, but he intended to give his machine a thorough cleaning before calling it a day. The others didn't understand the value of the machines they possessed. Monetarily, perhaps, but not their true worth. 

They didn't understand how a tank was like a living thing, and as such, deserved to be treated with the same respect. A tank needed careful cleaning and maintenance; it needed protection from the elements and checks for imperfections that would impair its performance. Pausing a moment, he examined himself in the shining surface of the steel gun barrel. His face was elongated and distorted by the curve of the metal, but he was still pleased with what he saw. 

The British commander had made him jump through all manner of hoops when he had first arrived on base. The colonel had thought that after so many years in Intel, he would be flabby and out of shape. As matter-of-fact as he had been about it with the brass, privately, it had pleased him a great deal to find that he could still outperform recruits half his age in the company PT. Although, he still wasn't sure how he had managed to get away without being sent to the barber. 

He had always assumed that the chief and other superiors in NATO had never made him cut his hair because they were scared of him. These men weren't intimidated by him, though. And for Brits, they weren't bad guys. His CO was personable, his teammates efficient, and he had finally gotten a word of praise from his father on his promotion. 

It wasn't Germany, but he finally had a tank again. Stepping back, he gave it one last critical examination. Everything looked in top order. Content with what he saw, Klaus adjusted the beret on his head before turning to join the others. Maybe one day he would make it back to Bonn to see how A and the others were doing. Maybe. 

~fin~


End file.
